Always Nakamas
by moonbird
Summary: Chopper is the doctor of the straw-hats, it is his duty to ensure that every-body is feeling well. But some-one on the ship is not feeling that well though he doesn't want to say any-thing, Though Chopper know it's his duty to get to the bottom of it and help Usopp out, even if Usopp doesn't want to open up. A little story about the great friendship of the straw-hats.


_Takes place right after the Thriller Bark arch where Brook had just joined the crew. _

* * *

Chopper was in deep thought as he silently grinded his herbs for new medicines and salves. He had gotten a new patient on his hands.. another weird one. The Skeleton Brook, Chopper had been intimdated by the skeleton at first, but now Chopper realised how much fun he was, even if Chopper had no idea how to treat him if some-thing happened... But he would figure it out eventually, he always did, even with the stranger crew-members such as Luffy whom was made out of rubber, or Franky whom was half machine.

Some-thing else bothered Chopper though, he had heard about how the other people had fought through all of it at Thriller bark, against zombies, invisble men and what else they had run into at that island, as it was to be expected that every-body had done their best and gotten a little bit hurt in the battles, but one persons anthics had been.. rather peculiar.

Suddenly foot-steps sounded behind Chopper, and Chopper turned his neck to witness a young teenager with a long nose step into the room. It was Usopp.. it was not uncommon for Usopp to enter Choppers domain while he was working, it just meant that Usopp would work as well. And Chopper had guessed quite right as he saw Usopp merely sit down in silence and started to empty his saddle, laying out different bullets for his sling-shot in neat order to count what he had of what, and what he needed to make more of.

Usopp frowned by the sight of his bullets and scratched his chin, before he sighed deeply and found supplies as well as a grinder to start working.

How-ever, he never got that far, just as Usopp was about to start grinding he looked down in front of him, and discovered Chopper sitting in his knees looking up at Usopp with huge eyes.

Usopp blinked. "Chopper." He greeted a little confused.

Chopper merely blinked one time as he still looked up at Usopp.

"Erhm.. Is some-thing the matter Chopper?" Usopp asked. "You want me to leave? Were you about to do some-thing? I didn't meant to intrude I just.. I mean."

"How do you feel Usopp?" Chopper finally asked.

Usopp blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked. "Why would you ask that, do I look ill?" he asked confused.

"As the ships doctor it is my job to make sure every-body is well, physically and.." Chopper let the word linger.

Usopp's eyes widened, and then he looked away. "Where on earth does that notion come from?" he asked suddenly sounding annoyed. "What the heck should be wrong with me mentally?" he asked very sourly crossing his arms.

"Sorry." Chopper mumbled poking his hoof's together. "I've never tried any-thing like this before, all I could do was to read about it."

"What makes you think that I have any.. erh. Such problems?" Usopp at last asked as his cheeks flushed deeply.

"Well you.. erhm." Chopper blushed equally deeply. "That.. Negativity the other people talk about." He finally mumbled. "So strong that being hit by a hollow ghost made no difference for you.. That's not right." Chopper finally told. "And I know for a fact you weren't always like that.. what triggered it? Was it.. was it when Franky.. when we had our little incident."

Usopps eyes widened, then he annoyed snorted and looked away as he crossed his arms.

For some moments there was silence, Usopp didn't even look at Chopper but continued looking equally annoyed, before his eye slowly travelled back.. and discovered Choppers guilty looking face, and Usopp couldn't hold it together before he exhaled and lost all of his previous anger. "All-right, what am I supposed to do to get over with this?" he asked.

"Not much I promise." Chopper told. "Just tell me what you think and feel, and be honest, no lies." he asked.

"What?" Usopp asked, and then bit his lip looking away.

"And please remember I have taken a Doctors oath, all what I know about my patients is in strict Doctor confidentiality." Chopper at last finished.

Slowly Usopp turned back towards Chopper, and saw the reindeers honest face.. and Usopp all-ready knew, he trusted this person completely. When chopper said nothing would escape this room.. Nothing really would. But on the other hand, Usopp would hate to loose the admiration of the one person on this ship he wasn't inferior to. The one person he could entertain, like he had the people back at the village. And most of all.. he would hate to disappoint the little reindeer. Showing weakness and vulnerability, would be sure to make him look even less like the brave warrior he wanted to be.

"You know you are never alone right?" Chopper asked.

"It was a close one though wasn't it?" Usopp asked. "You were all about to _leave me!_" he almost spat and then stopped in surprise, honest surprise, he hadn't counted on saying any-thing like that, it just came out of him without him having any control over it.

Chopper looked at him in deep surprise and Usopp quickly turned away but it was to late, tears were running down his eyes as his lips quivered.

"Sorry." Chopper gulped as tears also ran down his eyes. "That must have been hard.."

"Seeing you sail away on the sunny leaving me on the beach, after every-thing, it was the most crushing feeling in my life." Usopp told as his tears grew. "I felt so weak, so pathetic when I left, what am I? A little bug among monsters. It took me a while to think that maybe.. maybe I don't have to be a bug, maybe I can matter to the crew. But then you would go ahead leaving me behind any-way. So that's how high you all think of me as well? A little bug you can have no use for." He gulped and more and more tears ran down his eyes as he suddenly began to sob, he could barely breath between his cries. "Back at my island, I felt like a big fish in a little pond. I felt so ready to get out in the big ocean where I could explore and grow. But then I slowly realised, this really _is _the big ocean, filled with not only fish, but sharks and octopus's and every-thing, and I am just that little fish and worst of all, I can't even help the people I am with, they don't even need me or want me here.. if they did why would you all leave me like that?" he asked as he hid his face in his arms.

Chopper also cried in front of him, eyes running with honest genuine tears. "But we _do _need you!" he cried. "Nami, Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Robin. They were all so upset when you didn't come back! Luffy was crying his eyes out, Nami begged him to turn around at ones!"

"Then why didn't he?" Usopp asked.

Chopper swallowed. "Zoro said we had to be sure that we could trust you." He told. "You are way to dangerous to have un-board as a wild-card.. he said we needed to know you were loyal to the captain after that challenge. _I don't know what he was getting at, I always knew you were loyal!_" Chopper cried. "USOPP PLEASE!" he cried as he leaped forward and embraced the lanky teenager. "Don't hate us for it, we want you here, we really really do! Don't leave again!"

"Chopper." Usopp blinked in surprise, and in sniff whisked away a tear as he ruffled up the young doctors fur. "No no, I wouldn't leave. I belong here with thousand sunny, and you guys. I can't go back to syrup island before I have become all the things I promised I would. I just.. I just.." Usopp swallowed. "Part of me _know_ I belong here, part of me know you are my family, and then there is another part of me whom are doubting whether you even want me here or not! Whether I am of any use here at all, and if I am not then what is the point of me staying?" he asked. "And then that part of me whom all-ready knows that is bull and you are my nakama gets disappointed with me! And angry and ARGH!" Usopp ruffled up his hair. "It's so, soo frustrating." He hissed.

"Usopp.." Chopper whispered.

"So what am I supposed to do Doctor?" Usopp asked. "I'm not ill, I'm just, I don't know!" he hissed.

"Usopp, first of all you need to stop punishing yourself!" Chopper exclaimed. "You need to realise that you did nothing wrong! We all know why you acted like you did! And no one hated you for it, we were never angry just very sad because we thought you might not be with us any-longer, quit blaming yourself for thinking like you do, and quit blaming yourself overall." Chopper instructed. "So you are angry with us, then be angry with us, you are in your right, Merry was your treasure, and we didn't even give you time to think while you were upset.. and without you.. our crew would just be wrong." Chopper sniffed. "We need you, just as much as we need a ship to be the straw-hat pirates, be angry at _us_, not yourself."

Usopp exhaled. "I'm not angry with you, I don't have it in me to be angry with any of you.. I'm just more angry with myself." He finally admitted. "And disappointed I suppose."

"Why are you angry and disappointed in yourself?" Chopper asked. "What reason do you have? Haven't you always done the best you could?" he asked.

"I suppose.." Usopp absently nodded. "My best just isn't that good."

"Who cares, you're still there!" Chopper exclaimed. "When it got really hard, did you turn away? When haven't you just pushed harder when that happened?" he asked. "Have you ever quit a fight? Or not come to help your nakama when it mattered? Have you ever really turned down an adventure or run from a fight? How many times haven't you thrown yourself mindless into battle against people so much stronger than yourself, and won any-way. Cause you just keep on pushing.. when did you behave any different than that?" Chopper asked. "When have you ever not been a true nakama doing every-thing in your power to see all of your nakamas safe? When have you ever quit on any-one or any-thing that mattered to you?" he asked in big sobs. "If you're best isn't good enough, then what is? You always come through for all of us in the end, cause you just keep on going like that."

Astounded Usopp looked at the little reindeer, he was lost for words.

"Why are you not proud of that?" Chopper asked.

"I erh.. erhmm." Usopp swallowed his entire face suddenly burning hot, as if all of his blood had rushed right up there.

"I sure hope I can be as brave as you one day." Chopper whispered quietly.

Wide-eyed Usopp looked at Chopper as tears still fell down the reindeers eyes.

"The other might not believe you, but I know your stories are true, and you know why?" Chopper asked, and Usopp had to quite honestly shake his head. "Cause of all the adventures we had together, I never saw you turn around or quit.. it's so scary out there, and yet you continue. I feel scared so often, but then I think, what would Usopp do? He wouldn't run away at a situation like this, he would at least stay and fight.. Complain, but fight in the end."

"Well gotta be honest chopper.. for ones." Usopp sighed. "Some of those stories might be kind of made up." He made confessed. "some of them." He then muttered looking away.

"I know you idiot." Chopper shook his head. "But even if they aren't true true, doesn't mean they can't be true, or at least sort of true. Isn't that true Usopp?" he asked.

Usopp had to bit his lip not to laugh, but it didn't help, and suddenly he just burst out laughing as he swept away a little tear from laughter from his eye. "I guess so." He laughed. "Kind of, maybe. In the end I guess it doesn't matter." He chuckled as he shook his head. "No Chopper you are right, I would never actually run from a fight or purposely let down any of my nakamas." He told, and as Usopp spoke the words, he could just feel they were all the honest to god truth, he had never been more honest in his life. "And when I grow up, I want to be like you Chopper." He blinked poking the reindeer on the nose.

"What, me?" Chopper asked as he gaped deeply.

"Absolutely!" Usopp grinned. "A nakama whom always stands up for himself, even when facing foes so much stronger than himself, even when he is scared he still fights. Cares about every-body around him, and is a nakama you can always trust and count on! Hai Chopper, I want to be just like you." He grinned placing a hand on Choppers shoulder as he met the reindeers eyes. "Thanks nakama, you really are a great doctor, I feel much better." He told as he blinked.

Chopper blinked as he looked up at Usopp, then his mouth opened wide open as his entire fur stood up and red spots appeared on Choppers fur. "You idiot I don't get happy just because you praise me." He told dancing around with that big smile of his face. "I mean really you piece of shit, I don't even like that all!" Chopper told in that same tone as he fell backwards down on the floor and now started to roll back and ford, crawling like a little worm all over the room unable to contain himself as he continued with the verbal bashing against Usopp, before he started to roll around continuing.

Usopp smiled to himself as he saw Chopper rolling around that way in pure ecstasy, before he sat back, with a smile on his own face, continuing the work with his sling-shot bullets, before suddenly he felt a slight weight by his right thigh, Usopp looked down, and realised that chopper, deeply exhausted from all the crawling around and worrying, had sat himself beside Usopp and now leaned up against him, slowly Choppers eyes were closing, in spite of the reindeers persistent fight against the exhaustion, but it was obvious that the fight was hopeless and choppers eyes were shut as the reindeer breathed heavily with a big wide permanent smile on his face, as he slept leaning up against Usopp, looking so happy in that spot.

Usopp grinned as he slightly petted Chopper on the shoulder, then let the reindeer sleep as he went back to his own work, suddenly feeling so completely happy inside. Calm, quiet, strong and so very happy in that little moment in time, merely working as he prepared for his next adventure.

* * *

Some-thing bothered Usopps mind the next few days how-ever.. every-one would have been fine about waiting for him and letting him rejoin instantly, all but one.. Zoro had been the one against Usopp rejoining the crew, and it nagged Usopp so much that he had trouble sleeping.

Finally Usopp had collected his courage and crawled all the way up to Zoros training hall where the swords-man was training. "Erh.. hey." Usopp greeted as he poked his head up through the opening in the floor.

"If you want to train I doubt I have any weights light enough for your level in here." Zoro snorted as he lifted a massive weight.

"Well erh.. that's not it." Usopp swallowed has he crawled all the way up. "Kind of just wanted to erh.. erh.. ask some-thing." He then admitted.

"Then ask." Zoro snorted.

"Oh okay.." Usopp swallowed.

"Just say it or get out, I'm training." Zoro demanded in a roll of his eyes.

Usopp sighed deeply, then took in a deep breath before he exclaimed. "Why wouldn't you be all-right with me rejoining the crew?" he asked. "I thought we were nakamas."

Zoro shrugged. "I was fine with letting you re-join the crew." He told. "As long as I was absolutely sure that I could trust you."

"Trust me?" Usopp asked.

"Of cause, having any member unboard whom is un-trustworthy would be dangerous, but having you unboard without knowing where you are at, that is just way to idiotic." Zoro told in a eye-roll as he dropped the weight, which made the entire area shake a little bit, and for a moment Usopp had to regain balance as he shocked looked at Zoro.

"Why would I be to dangerous to have around?" Usopp asked astounded. "I'm not exactly you am I?" he asked Zoro.

"No you are much worse, you are our liar." Zoro snorted.

Usopp fell down on the floor head first by the simple comment. "I see, I'm not really trust worthy." He murmured, rubbing on the new bump on his head after his fall.

"If you hadn't apologised and begged to come back in a way that showed you really meant it, no you wouldn't have been." Zoro stated.

"Huh." Usopp muttered feeling lower by the minute.

"That's the trouble with dealing with that smart people, you need to know you can trust them completely, or they will trick you sooner or later." Zoro stated as he rolled his eyes.

"Huh?" Usopp looked up. "Trick you? Wait you're saying I would trick you?" he asked. "No way! I could never run around corners with any of you."

"Yeah right." Zoro snorted. "If there is some-thing you are not Usopp, it's stupid. And if there is some-thing that is dangerous, it's not brawny people, I can deal with any of those, but smart people usually annoys the hell out of me." Zoro seemed to shiver a little uncomfortably by the mere mention. "I would sincerely hate for you to plot against any of us. But then it's nice to know that you wont." He smirked putting down his sword, as he gave Usopp and almost devilish grin. "Riiight?" he asked in that threatening scary Zoro-ish voice.

"Erh.. hai.." Usopp swallowed nervously crawling back against the wall.

"It takes damn brain power to be a good liar." Zoro sighed. "Not many can do it, just look at our dummy captain, stupid cook, me." He shrugged. "Then there's all the other shit you run around doing I can't even explain or comprehend, all that explosive shit, special bullets, what-ever. No Usopp, I would hate to have any-one like you run around if I didn't trust them completely. To smart for their own good, to smart to risk getting into trouble with." He stated as he yawning leaned against the window frame. "And all of this from a bloody sixteen year old." He muttered in a tired yawn.

"I'm confused.. is this a compliment?" Usopp asked. "I'm not really.. that smart, I don't know every-thing about medicin like Chopper, or every-thing about the worlds we meet like Robin… or every-thing about the weather like Nami."

Zoro snorted. "Can those three think up so ludicrous ideas on the spot without any guide-lines or teaching, they just memories stuff. They aren't that creative. But quit honestly, wont you just shut up?" he at last asked. "You think way to much." Zoro stated as he rolled his eyes and fell down in a resting sitting position with closed eyes, looking like he was all-ready almost sleeping. "Man I'm glad I'm not the one having to think about every little detail like you, thank god you are around to do it for me." Was his last words before he had fallen deeply a sleep. "How don't you have head-aches all the time from that over-thinking is beyond me."

Usopp blinked as he looked at Zoro, then smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad to hear that." He told honestly. "And I promise you, you can trust on me, my creativity and smarts is devoted to the crew, never against it, not for a moment, not even back then. You can trust in me." He grinned as he hopped down the hadge and grabbed the mast right beneath him, to grin as he felt the ocean wind against his face ruffling up his hair. "HAHAHA! This is Usopp! The man of the ocean! Stories are spoken about me! The sniper king whom never misses a shot, and always finds a way to win, no matter how unlikely it seems."

"USOPP!"

"Huh?" Usopp looked down from where he clinged to the mast, and saw nami down there looking up at him. "Nami, what's up?" he asked.

"Just get down here and entertain Luffy before he breaks the entire ship apart!" Nami exclaimed. "NOW!"

"Oh I get it, I'm the only one whom can distract our captain and safe the ship." Usopp grinned for himself as he put on his goggles to have a better look at the ship beneath him and at last saw Luffy running around left and right in an almost manic manner due to his restlessness. "OI LUFFY!" Usopp yelled on the top of his lungs.

"Huh?" Luffy stopped in mid-run and looked up to where Usopp was.

"BET YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!" Usopp yelled on the top of his lungs and then without a second thought simply let go of the mast to fall in mid-air.

"CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" Luffy yelled at ones in a wide grim. "GUMU GUMU BLOW UP!" he yelled and suddenly become one big balloon right beneath Usopp.

Usopp laughed as he simply grabbed a rope he had all-ready seen before he jumped and swung straight over Luffy.

"Hey that's cheating!" the compleately blowed up Luffy exclaimed.

"All-right if you really insist otherwise." Usopp rolled his eyes as the rope swung back and Usopp let go to land right on top of Luffy and bunch up in the air as if Luffy was a big bouncing castle, yet on the same time it knocked all the air out of Luffy and Usopp landed on the back laughing incredible hard as he held his stomach from sheer laughter, and as well did Luffy.

"I CAUGHT YOU!" Luffy laughed.

"No you didn't I just bounced off you!" Usopp exclaimed right back.

"That's the same as catching you!" Luffy exclaimed.

"No it isn't!" Usopp replied as he turned around now laying flat on his stomach looking at Luffy.

"Well of cause it is!" Luffy replied also running to his stomach looking challenging at Usopp.

"Not a chance." Usopp replied.

"Oh yeah!?" Luffy asked.

"YEAH!" Usopp replied.

"Proof it!" Luffy exclaimed.

Usopp blinked. "how can you proof a thing like that?" he asked.

"HIYA!" And suddenly Luffy had simply thrust himself at Usopp in a play-full attack and the two rolled over the deck as both of them laughed while play-fully tumbling around fighting each other, soon that evolved to a game of tag around the ship, Usopp playing around by hiding and putting up small traps for Luffy, which was only fair since Luffy used his gummi powers half of the time.

* * *

Eventually Chopper emerged from his doctors room to see where the noise came from, and ended up attacking Usopp from behind by jumping up on Usopp's back so Usopp fell down on top of Luffy and all three of them laughing ended up on the deck and that was the moment Sanji had thrown three fishing rods at them, saying they might as well spend their time doing some-thing useful, and soon enough the trio of play-full teenagers were sitting on the railing, sleeping up against each other as they fished.

Luffy snored deeply as his head leaned up against Usopps shoulder, drool falling out of his mouth and ran down his chin. "Mmm.. so glad you are still here Usopp." He mumbled.

"Hmm?" Usopp half opened an eye to look at Luffy.

"Every-body is a lot of fun in this crew, but you are the most fun." Luffy murmured. "This could end up becoming really boring without a liar around."

Usopp shook his head. "Njah, life with you as a ships captain, that could never become really boring." He stated throwing out his fishing line again, as a tall Skeleton walked over the stand beside them by the railing. "Afternoon Brook." Usopp greeted. "Did you enjoy your nap?" he asked.

"Napping while there is noise all the way around me, it is so very comfortable." Brook told, and from his voice you could tell he wasn't the least bit sarcastic, he really meant it. "So much life, this is a great ship, Usopp, why don't you tell me a story?" he asked.

"Why don't you play a bit of music?" Usopp asked.

"I got this afternoon off." Brook told. "Beside, I wanted to learn a little more about your craft, I was lead to believe you were a story teller." He commented.

"Erh.. didn't really think about it that way." Usopp confessed. "Mostly I am just a big liar."

"I guess you could argue making up and telling stories is the same as lying." Brook thoughtfully commented. "How-ever, being a good story teller, picking some-thing up and being able to just tell a story about that random item, that is a rare gift Usopp-san, that is the gift of the story teller, in many ways he and the musician is related in so many ways. He lifts the spirit of his comrades and all sorts of people with his stories, inspires them, scares them, makes them laugh and smile. It's a beautiful craft and very powerful with those whom are skilled at it, you can use it to heal spirits and lift people up, make the world a little more fun and a little more magical. It's creativity, fantasy and inventiveness, it's been a long time since I heard a true story teller dwell into his crafts, please Usopp, entertain me." He asked.

"And me!" Luffy asked now with wide open eyes.

"And me!" Chopper joined in from the other side.

"Well erh.. if you all insist." Usopp swallowed as he blushed lightly. "Urh.. what about.. the legend of the living island?" he asked.

"Living island!?" Chopper asked.

"Is there meat on this island?" Luffy asked.

"Oh yes! On the island the meat grows on the trees, but you have to beware!" Usopp told as he lifted a hand. "Because that meat is actually a dangerous though very delicious trap! It attracts big animals, ants as big as elephants, worms as big as MOUNTAINS! Attracts to them island, luring them into that trap, ones you are on the island, you wont ever escape, because it's an inescapable island! Or.. so people thought, cause there was one man whom succeeded in escaping the worlds deadliest trap and the inescapable island."

"Who!? WHO!?" Luffy exclaimed loudly.

"Well of cause, the great Captain Usopp." Usopp grinned. "The king of snipers."

"OHHHH!" Luffy and Chopper exclaimed simultaneously as Usopp nodded. "How did he do that!?" Luffy asked very excited over the story.

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed. "I suppose we will be getting to that soon, this is indeed some-thing that makes the hair raise on my back only.. I'm dead so I have no hair on my back! Yohohoho!"

"Well listen closely." Usopp whispered with a big grin on his face. "First the great captain had to withstand the tests, those of gluttony; avoid the traps of the island, that of patience as he had to learn every-thing about the island to have the slightest chance of escaping, that of knowledge as he had to learn, that of strength as he had to fight every day for more surviving."

Unbeknown to Usopp as he was so caught up in telling his story, he had gained more listeners, Robin whom sat nearby by the table had closed her book and instead sat with closed eyes, listening in silence to Usopp words, Nami whom sat next to her also sat in very much the same position as she sipped to a cup of tea.

Zoro was merely sleeping on the deck, but even he felt comfortable with the familiar voices goinv over his head, Franky grinned as he sun-bathed not far from them listening in. Sanji whom was cooking in the kitchen had opened the door to let in the afternoon air, and though he couldn't hear the story, he heard the muffled voices and occasion laughter, it felt like every-one was united comfortable in the calm afternoon, only broken up by Usopps big lie.. or story as Brook would call it, which made it's closest listeners both gasp and laugh, and certainly kept them entertained until dinner was served. And Usopp.. he felt absolutely great in those hours, only to very happy to share his natural gift, a gift he was actually deep down very proud of, at least now he was.

* * *

_AN; and yes, the story Usopp tells is what will happen to him eventually as the crew split up, but that actually is a thing with Usopp if you read the manga closely, very often his stories actually ends up becoming foreshadowings of what will happen in future chapters, half the stories he told Kaya by his introduction indeed did come true, and i find that kind of fun. Usopp litterately is living out his own made up adventures, that's pretty neat isn't it? __ He is indeed my fave character, I love usopp, and yeah, I honestly do believe he is the most intelligent member of the straw-hats, just hold back by his own insecurity, constant need to boost and blow himself up to be bigger than he is, and a fear of appear small. If he forgets all of that, he is actually extremely capable, certainly the most creative one able to just create what-over on the spot. Robin, Nami and Chopper on the other hand, are the most knowledgable, they just know more, but aren't nearly as creative or inventive. It's just different kinds of intelligence :) _

_Hope you all enjoyed, thanks for reading!_


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